Things You Should Know Before Buying A Pekingese Dog

Things You Should Know Before Buying A Pekingese Dog

Pekingese dogs are beautiful looking dogs, and are classed as a ‘toy’ breed due to them being so small in size. However, if you’re looking to buy a Pekingese dog just because they look cute, you may want to think again! In this article we will take a closer look at the Pekingese to see what is good about them, and also see if there’s any downside of owning one. This way you will be able to make an informed decision on whether this breed really is for you.

The Pekingese breed is actually from Royal descent, probably starting in ancient China, in the Imperial courts and named after the city of Peking, which is now known as Beijing of course. It is believed that the Pekingese breed has been living in China for around 2,000 years or more, and DNA shows that it is one of the oldest breeds around today. These dogs were the prizes of war, which is probably how they became popular in England – even Queen Victoria had a Pekingese dog called ‘Looty’!

These dogs are mainly companion dogs, often lapdogs that really seem to expect royal treatment, and many owners will often admit to treating them as such. Having said that, these particular dogs do have their fair share of problems too, one of which is training as they are notoriously difficult to train. One has to have a lot of patience and time to train this breed and, although they often appear as show dogs, you would probably have to enrol them in a training class early on to socialise them and get that training started as early as possible.

Being such a small breed it is not recommended to have Pekingese around small children as they can get hurt very easily. Ideal homes for the Pekingese are retirees or someone who works from home, or at least a household that has someone at home most of the day. They can also suffer from anxiety & separation issues when left alone for too long, and they are prone to barking, a lot (!). However, this also means that they can make good watchdogs due to the fact they will bark whenever they hear someone.

Health-wise, the Pekingese is generally healthy but can suffer from conditions associated with small breeds, like Patellar Luxation where the knees can slip out of joint. Pekingese can also suffer from breathing difficulties due to their flat face, like snoring, grunting and generally noisy breathing. However, some can be worse than others and develop a cough, gag, and even faint at times. It is very important to have regular checkups with your vet where Pekingese are concerned, so as to ensure their health is good, as well as keeping up with inoculations and medications when needed.

Other health problems that the Pekingese can face are: cataracts, cleft palate, cryptorchidism, distichiasis, ectopic cilia, entropion and fold dermatitis. That said, not all Pekingese will get these conditions, and you can cut your risks down by buying from a reputable breeder, one who is more concerned with the perfection of the breed rather than the money. A good breeder will allow you to ask many questions, and answer them too – showing you the lineage, and the parent dogs as well as answering any questions you may have on the line’s medical history.

Finally, the Pekingese can live to up to 15 years of age, so one has to remember that buying this breed is a solid commitment. It is also highly recommended that you purchase pet insurance in case your dog becomes sick and requires medical treatment, which can prove to be very costly with toy breeds such as the Pekingese. Once you have made the decision to buy a Pekingese, be sure to purchase a comfortable bed for your dog, some toys, treats for training, food, leash and a collar, then all you have to do is enjoy each other’s company for many happy years.